Brewers deal lefty Cotts, claim reliever Jimenez
Veteran traded to Minnesota for player to be named or cash considerations
WASHINGTON -- The Brewers claimed one left-handed reliever off waivers on Friday, then traded another.
Following a 10-3 win over the Nationals in which Neal Cotts struck out the only batter he faced in a critical moment in the sixth inning, the Brewers traded Cotts to the Twins for a player to be named or cash considerations. In doing so, the team opened a roster spot for another lefty, Cesar Jimenez, who was claimed off waivers earlier in the day from the Phillies.
Cotts didn't have to go far. The Twins are an hour's drive away in Baltimore this weekend.
"It's always exciting to pitch when a team's fighting for a spot," Cotts said. "It adds a little bit to each game. Hopefully, I can go over there and continue what I've been doing here."
Cotts had uneven results in Spring Training but has improved throughout the regular season, to the point he departed with a 3.26 ERA in 51 appearances. He held left-handed hitters to a .576 OPS and a .185 batting average.
The trade was the Brewers' fifth in the past month. The Brewers have traded away, in order, Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Gomez, Mike Fiers, Gerardo Parra, Jonathan Broxton and now Cotts, all for prospects or, in Cotts' case, potentially cash considerations.
Cotts' replacement, via the waiver wire, is Jimenez, a 30-year-old who has pitched parts of six seasons in the Major Leagues and parts of 10 seasons at the Triple-A level. Jimenez made three appearances for the Phillies this season without allowing a run, and he is expected to join the Brewers on Saturday at Nationals Park.
"We've lost some depth with Mike [Blazek] going down [with a broken hand] and Jonathan [Broxton] getting traded and Tyler Cravy going down [with an elbow injury]," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who would later add Cotts' departure to that list. "We're just protecting ourselves with an arm that has some big league experience."